Advertising apparatus



June 17, 1924, 1,498,431

w. J. BIRD ADVERT I S I NG APPARATUS Filed Nov. 17, 1923 4., mu /e Juaso/v fl/RD.

awe (ma Patented June 17, 1924.

WALTER JUDSON BIRD, or rnusnmo, New You.

ADVERTISING APPARATUS.

Application filed November 17, 1923. Serial No. 675,258

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER JU'osoN BIRD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Flushing, in the county of Queens and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Advertising Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an advertising device and, more particularly, to a device whereby a number of advertisements may be brought successively to a position of prominence in connection with a clock or other object of general interest or attention. In displaying an advertisement, it is very desirable to have it placed where a large number of persons will have their attention directed towards it or in its general neighborhood. For example the space immediately adjacent the clock in motion picture theatres would attract attention to an advertisement placed therein. Inasmuch as space of this character is limited, it is very desirable to be able to utilize it for a number 26 of advertisements each of which might occupy the space for an interval of time, a feature which would also relieve the advertisements of the monotony incident to a single unchanging advertisement. However, if advertisements are passed in an endless flexible band, or attached to an endless band over constantly driven rollers arranged or positioned to bring the separate sheets of advertisements successively into view, the sheets become distorted, due to the tendency to pull together or gather into a rope-like strand in a restricted part of its width, or by a tendency for one side of the band to travel faster than the other and creep forward relatively thereto.

These difiiculties and defects are obviated by my present invention, an object of which is to'provide advertisements arranged in an endless band in such a manner as to hold the sheets containing the advertisements smoothly extended laterally of their direction of travel.

Another object of the invention is to provide an endless band of advertising strips or sheets driven uniformly from each side edge.

A further object of the invention is to provide an endless band of advertisement strips having means by which the advertlsing strips may be easily and quickl mounted .on, removed from, or replaced and by which thesuccession of strips may be given the appearance of a continuous band.

With these and other objects in view, the invention comprises the apparatus described and set forth in the following specification and claims.

The various features of the invention are llustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which;

i 1 is a perspective view of an advertismg device embodying a preferred form of the invention,

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the device shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a sectional view at right angles to that of Fig. 2, taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a detail view of a portion of the apparatus showing the manner in which the advertising sheets are mounted on travelling carrylng chains,

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of a portion of an endless band of advertising strips together with a portion of a carrying chain and supporting roller, and,

Fig. 6 is a side view of the portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 6'.

In my presentinvention, the various advertisement strips that are to be successively shown or exhibited, preferably adjacent a clock or other object of interest, are mounted on or attached to and between a pair of endless chains which pass in spaced relation over spaced cog wheels so positioned that 90 each advertising strip passes successively into view, remaining visible for a short period of time sufficient to enable it to be read. Accordingly, a person glancing at the clock at intervals, will see adjacent thereto different advertisements at successive intervals. The successive advertisement strips are mounted on the chains by means of rods which pass through hems at the ends of the strips and are attached at their ends to the 100 chains at distances sufficient to 'hold the strips tautly in spread out position, the adjacent rods of successive strips bein however, spaced close to each other. T e. rods are preferably removably mounted at their ends on the spaced chains so that they may be readily removed to enable the advertisement strips to be readily removed or mounted. individually on the chains. To support and hold the strips in position as the chains pass about the cog wheels, a roller is mounted co-axially of and between each set of cog wheels.

Referring. more particularly.to the ac companyin drawings, the advertising mechanism is laced within a casing or cabinet 10 in the lower portion of whose front face is mounted a clock 12 and immediately thereabove a window 14 through which the advertisements are visible. The clock may be of any suitable type but is preferably of the standard, electric, type and may be illuminated by a reflecting light in the usual manner.

The advertisements are carried past the window vl4 as an enless web or band 16 passing under a pair of lower rollers 18 and 20 below the level of the lower edge of the window 14 and then upwardly back of the window and in succession alternately over rollers 22, 24, 26. and 28 of an upper series,

and under rollers 30. 32, and 34 of a lower series of rollers. These rollers are of a size sufficiently large to prevent wearing or deterioration of the advertising sheets of which the web is composed from successive bendings in alternate directions, a diameter of about two inches being sufiicient for this purpose. The rollers of the upper set are mounted on and between a pair of supporting boards 36 and 37 attached to or mounted on opposite sides of the cabinet 10. The rollers 30, 32, and 34 of the lower set of rollers are similarly mounted on and between boards 38 and 39 mounted lower on the side walls of the cabinet. In order to place the web of advertising sheets under suitable tension. the roller 18 is not mountcd directly on the lower boards 38 and 39 but is mounted on arms 40 pivoted at 4-1 on the side walls of the cabinet at. one end and drawn downwardly by means of springs -12 at the other, free ends The web 16 is formed of a number of separate advertising strips 44 placed end to end to form a substantially continuous strip or web. These individual strips are individually mounted on, and between, a pair of spaced endless chains 45 and-46 which are passed over pairs of co wheels 47 and 49 mounted one at each on of each of the upper rollers 22. 24, 26. and 28, and under pairs of spaced cog wheel 49 and 50 mounted. one at each end of each of the lower rollers 18. 20, 30, 32, and 34. The cog wheels are rigidly mounted on the shafts of their respective rollers so that each pair of wheels rotate in unison at equal rates of speed and accordingly each chain is moved at the same rate of speed as the other.

Each advertising strip is mounted on and between a pair of horizontal rods 51 and 52 mounted at their ends on the chains 45 and 46 and spaced apart a distance equal to the length of the strips 44. The strips are preferably mounted on and between the rods 51 and 52 by means of hcms 53 and 54 through which the rods 51 and 52, respectively. are inserted. The rods 51 and 52 of adjacent pairs of strips are spaced close to each other so that but a very slight space is left between the ends of the strips. To give the strips the appearance of a continuous web these spaces are preferably closed by means of flaps extending backwardly from the rear edge of each strip to slightly overlap the front edge of the following strip. As the rods are attached at their ends to the spaced chains 45 and 46. which move simultaneously at equal speeds the rods are always held horizontally and at. constant distances so that the advertising, sheets are held flat. and undistorted. the chains pass about their cog wheels the advertising sheets are held in position by the respective rollers.

To enable each advertising strip to be removed and replaced individually. the rods 51 and 52 are removably mounted at. their ends on the chains 45 and 46. For this purpose the ends of the rods are mounted in sockets 56 mounted at the proper distances on the chains and projecting inwardly toward the sockets of the opposite chain. These sockets may be conveniently formed as extensions of the pins of the chains or in any other suitable manner. In removing or inserting a rod the chains are merely spread apart between the rollers 20 and 22 until the ends of the rods just clear the inner edges of the sockets. When the chains are released. they will come to their proper spaced position holding the rods. in case a rod has been inserted.

The chains 45 and 46 are driven from a constant speed motor 60 and a speed changing transmission element 62 by means of a chain 64 trained about a driving wheel 66 of l the element 64 and a cog wheel 68 mounted rigidly with the roller 20 and its respective cog wheels. The motor and speed changing element are preferably of a type that permits the rate of speed to be adjusted to suit the requirements of difi'erent conditions.

The advertisements are illuminated so that they are clearly visible. This is preferably accomplished by placing a series of lights 74 and 7 6 in the window 14 at the top and bottom and reflecting the light upwardly and downwardly onto the advertis ing strips by means of reflectors 78 and 80 respectively. The chains and other actuating mechanism are enclosed in the cabinet so as not to be visible through the window 14.

The invention thus provides an apparatus by which the successive advertisements may be passed back of the window and exhibited When 1 to view while flat and unwrinkled, and by which the orderly, uniform movement of the advertising strips is insured.

As changes of construction could be made within the scope of my invention, it is desired that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having described the invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1s:

1. Apparatus of the type described which comprises, a window, a pair of spaced chains, pairs of spaced sprocket wheels carrying said chains at the rear of said window, pairs of spaced transverse supporting rods, advertising strips supported on and between said rods by hems through which said rods pass, said pairs of rods being so spaced as to bring the adjacent ends of successive strips close to each other, a socket connection between said rods and said chains to permit said rods to be released when said chains are spread apart and to hold said rods when in their normally spaced positions.

2. Apparatus of the type described which comprises, a window, a pair of spaced chains, pairs of spaced sprocket wheels carrying said chains at the rear of said window, pairs of spaced transverse supporting rods, advertising strips having hems, one at each end, through which the respective end supporting rods are passed to support said strips, said strips extending past said rods at one end to overlap a succeedingstrip, and a socket connection between said" rods and said chains so positioned as to release said rods when said chains are spread apart beyond their normal spacing and to hold said rods when in their normal spacing.

3. Apparatus of the type described which comprises, a window, a pair of spaced chains, pairs of spaced sprocket wheels carrying said chains at the rear of said window, rollers, one for each pair of sprocket wheels and mounted between and rotating with said wheels, pairs of spaced supporting rods mounted on and between said chains, advertising strips having hems, one at each end, through which the respective end supporting transverse rods are positioned to support said strips, said rods being so positioned as to bring adjacent ends of successive strips into close position, said strips extending beyond said hems at one end to overlap an adjacent strip, and socket connections between said rods and said chains positioned to release said rods when said chains are spread from their normal spacing and to engage and support said rods when in their normal spacing.

4. Apparatus of the type described which comprises, a window, a pair of endless chains, sockets on said chains extending towards each other, rods extending between and supported in said sockets, when said chains are spaced normally from each other and released when said chains are spread out of their normal positions, advertising strips mounted in end to end position on said rods, and cog wheels carrying said chains and positioned to bring said strips past said windo-w in a portion of their path of travel.

5. Apparatus of the type described which comprises, a cabinet having a window, a number of rollers, a pair of spaced cog wheels for each roller, a pair of endless chains carried in spaced relation on sald pairs of cog wheels, rods extending between said chains and parallel to the axes of said rollers and cog wheels, advertising strips having hems through which said rods extend to support said strips in end to end position, the ends of said strips overlappln g, and means for driving said cog wheels, sa d cog wheels being positioned to carry sa d rods past said window in a portlon of their path of travel.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WALTER JUDSON BIRD. 

